The headline is alarmist, but other than that, just mostly accurately discussing the Flames as they move through a dry spell. They’ve shown plenty of Flames love this year also so I have no issue with it.
From their eastern viewpoint I don't disagree. This team is hitting the skids as the exact same time as last season. This year's team has built a bigger cushion and has been coached better but the goaltending slide is very concerning because Smith is finished and if Rittich can't get back to even average starting goaltender play they are probably going to slide a few more spots in the conference.
It was a little weird Sid seems so obsessed with last year but didn’t at all mention the personnel changes that make this team different.
Also a little weird they were so focused on us being a wild card team, like wtf? Those teams aren’t even in our rear view mirror they’re so far back. And he brought up Vegas too. Odd. Why not bring up whether SJ is a major threat to us and how important the division is and whether or not we’ve got the tools to beat SJ in 7. Instead it’s all wild card this and Vegas that.
That's where you can tell they're just kind of saying things because they know the Flames are one of the top Canadian teams so they have to talk about them.
No chance they'd be talking about irrelevant things like that with the Leafs, they know the day to day of the east teams like the back of their hands. Again, it's not the end of the world as they are really talented and fun to watch in terms of Raptors, baseball, east hockey etc.
But they're definitely in that big group of eastern reporters that likely isn't staying up til midnight regularly watching west teams. Just the nature of times zones.
I don't think Faizal was saying that they might become a wild card team, he was saying that the wild card teams are not a threat. The issue being that if the Flames don't step it up, they're playing Vegas, as Sid noted. But hey, even if that happens, whatever - you're going to have to beat some good teams eventually.
I don't know about that. Right now I feel a series against Vegas is preferable to one with a hot Blues team. There are no "easy" matchups in the playoffs. What if Vancouver slips in? Do we really want to play them after what they've done to us this year? At least there're no shootouts or 3 on 3 I suppose.
As long as the Flames make the top three in the pacific (and ideally top 2) then I don’t think it really matters how the rest of the season goes *except* that it would be great to have the Flames going into the playoffs on a high note - having all of their games going in late March early April.
As long as the Flames make the top three in the pacific (and ideally top 2) then I don’t think it really matters how the rest of the season goes *except* that it would be great to have the Flames going into the playoffs on a high note - having all of their games going in late March early April.
Top three is basically a lock...a few wins would do it
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What if Vancouver slips in? Do we really want to play them after what they've done to us this year?
Yes. They're a bad hockey team with two great players and one or two good ones. They would also be the epitome of "just happy to be here". I'll take that matchup.
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I think Faizal is right, its not really time to raise alarms. We are better than most of the teams below us, and the sky isn't falling after a 4 game stretch. Sid is right that goaltending needs to be par with the rest of the team performance, but its a four game stretch. Give it a 6-8 game stretch of no winning, then we should raise alarms because we shouldn't be playing like that.
Pretty much every good team, save for Tampa, have had a skid or two this year .
They'll pull out of it, but until they do - it's certainly worth talking about.
Tampa hasn't had any real skid, sure, but certainly weren't playing well before the All Star break where they lost a couple of games. It's just what happens.
I think it's worth mentioning that after the break the Flames have lost a close game to the reigning champions where it was tied until the very last minute of the game, lost in a shootout to the Canucks in a game where they dominated but Markström played lights out, and then lost two poor games to two of the top teams in the league.
It does not take away from the overall experience of the funk of course, but it's not like they are losing games in a horrible fashion to basement dwellers either. These are tough games and a pretty bad section of the schedule, with difficult matchups and weird extended breaks between games.
If they go out and lay an egg against the Panthers maybe I'll sing along with the choir, but otherwise I'd say this is just a blip. We have a friendly schedule over the rest of the month, so it's time to get back to winning.
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LOL I don't think you get it...it is a joke. It's meant to be a joke. If you can't tell it's an act I don't know what to tell you? They do this for all teams. Faux outrage. I guess if anything congrats on being noticed? I'm pretty sure the Jets don't even get the faux outrage treatment.
Yes. They're a bad hockey team with two great players and one or two good ones. They would also be the epitome of "just happy to be here". I'll take that matchup.
Yeah I get that sentiment but I'm always leery of those happy-to-be-here teams that play with nothing to lose. Especially ones with decent goaltending and a gamebreaker or two. They can jump up and bite you.
Mind you, playing against Marc-Andre Fleury in the playoffs probably isn't too desirable either.
As I said, there are no easy matchups.
That said, it's a helluva lot more appealing to be having this discussion than deciding which of Winnipeg, Nashville or San Jose on the road would be most ideal after squeaking into the playoffs.
The Flames have put themselves in a good spot. I think Flames fans can relax a bit but I don't blame anyone for feeling that pit-of-your-stomach inkling that they'll inevitably blow it. This franchise has a long and storied history of doing that.
Vancouver has one win in four games against us by playoff rules, they are not scary
Flames outplayed them so bad their goalie got injured, Calgary would wear them down
Gotta agree the only Pacific team that scares me is San Jose. Otherwise I think we could take the rest. But the Sharks will be a 7 game series fight and actually probably a great series.
